Hi Corboy,
The person who taught me NLP said, "Zen is pure NLP". He was a direct student of Bandler's.
Here's an example of what I'm seeing in Thanissaro's work:
Normalcy by Thanissaro BhikkhuI will point out at the beginning of his treatise, Thanissaro explains how various naturally occurring trance states are undesirable - trance in general is undesirable. It's considered an intoxicant, right? (one of the five vows Buddhists take is, "No Intoxicants")
But then, "We tend to think of the stages of jhana as very strong trance states, but actually they’re the mind in a state of genuine normalcy where it’s very perceptive, very clearly perceiving things as they are, as they come as they go, able to see distinctions. That’s what we’re working on, trying to keep the mind in a state of normalcy, as with all the elements of the path. The qualities of the path are things we’ve already experienced, things we’ve already tasted. It’s simply that we haven’t seen the strength they can develop if they’re made continuous, if they’re made all-around. This state of centered, clear normalcy in the mind, if you could really maintain it, would build up a lot of strength."
So Normalcy = a particular type of Trance that Thanissaro is privy to and if you study with him you will learn?
Then into the confusion technique.
Followed with, "So keep this in mind. We’re trying to work on a state of normalcy. This is how the practice of the precepts shades into the practice of concentration. And then it shades into discernment, because you see the normal way of the mind. It’s normally been creating suffering, but you can see a deeper state of normalcy, a state of true well-being that’s very, very subtle, which comes when you’re not creating suffering anymore. So you’ve got to see the normal habits of the mind that have been creating suffering before you can undo them, let go of them. Only then can you uncover normalcy in the deeper sense.
So what we are doing is something very normal. What’s unusual about it is that we’re trying to maintain this state of normalcy as consistently as we can throughout the day. That’s really extraordinary. It’s the consistency that makes it special."
Sounds like NLP to me...